Two-piece fastener assembly

ABSTRACT

An aperture fastener piece has an intermediate head and an aperture shaft, including aperture retention arms extending from a side of the intermediate head. A receiver includes an annular wall extending from a base, and a plurality of plate retention surfaces supported by and positioned inwardly of the annular wall. A coupling plate can be engaged and retained by the plurality of plate retention surfaces within the receiver to couple the doghouse fastener piece and the aperture fastener piece together. Each of the receiver and the coupling plate extends from different ones of the intermediate head as part of the aperture fastener piece and the doghouse shaft as part of the doghouse fastener piece. The coupling plate can extend from a second of the opposite side of the intermediate head as part of the aperture fastener piece, and the doghouse shaft as part of the doghouse fastener piece.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a two-piece fastener assembly designed to join a panel having a doghouse to a support having an aperture therein.

BACKGROUND

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.

Existing two-piece fastener assemblies designed to join a panel having a doghouse to a support having an aperture therein typically require a relatively large amount of clearance between the doghouse and the support. In some automotive applications, there is not enough clearance to accommodate such existing two-piece fastener assemblies. In addition, such automotive applications can require relatively coupling and uncoupling forces between the two pieces of the fastener that remain consistent to allow repeated access behind the panel.

SUMMARY

This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

In one aspect of the present disclosure, a two-piece fastener assembly designed to join a panel having a doghouse to a support having an aperture therein is provided. The two-piece fastener assembly includes a doghouse fastener piece and an aperture fastener piece. The doghouse fastener piece can have a doghouse head designed to couple the doghouse fastener to the doghouse and a doghouse shaft extending from the doghouse head. The aperture fastener piece can have an intermediate head and an aperture shaft extending from a side of the intermediate head. A plurality of aperture retention arms can extend outwardly away from the aperture shaft and can be designed to retain the support between the aperture retention arms and the intermediate head. A receiver can include an annular wall extending from a base, and a plurality of plate retention surfaces facing toward the base and being supported by and positioned inwardly of the annular wall. The receiver can extend from a first of an opposite side of the intermediate head as part of the aperture fastener piece, and the doghouse shaft as part of the doghouse fastener piece. A coupling plate can be engaged and retained by the plurality of plate retention surfaces within the receiver to couple the doghouse fastener piece and the aperture fastener piece together. The coupling plate can extend from a second of the opposite side of the intermediate head as part of the aperture fastener piece, and the doghouse shaft as part of the doghouse fastener piece. One of the receiver and the coupling plate can provide the flexibility necessary to couple and uncouple the coupling plate and the receiver together, which correspondingly couples and uncouples the doghouse fastener piece and the aperture fastener piece together.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, a two-piece fastener assembly designed to join a panel having a doghouse to a support having an aperture therein is provided. The two-piece fastener assembly includes a doghouse fastener piece and an aperture fastener piece. The doghouse fastener piece can have a doghouse head designed to couple the doghouse fastener to the doghouse and a doghouse shaft extending from the doghouse head. The doghouse fastener piece can have a receiver including an annular wall extending from a base having a plate shape. The base of the receiver can be supported by the doghouse shaft, and the receiver can have a plurality of plate retention surfaces supported by and positioned inwardly of the annular wall and facing toward the base. The aperture fastener piece can have an intermediate head and an aperture shaft extending from a side of the intermediate head. A plurality of aperture retention arms can extend outwardly away from the aperture shaft and can be designed to retain the support between the aperture retention arms and the intermediate head. The aperture fastener piece can have a plate shaft extending from an opposite side of the intermediate head and a coupling plate supported by the plate shaft. The coupling plate can be engaged and retained by the plurality of plate retention surfaces within the receiver to couple the doghouse fastener piece and the aperture fastener piece together. The annular wall of the receiver can include a plurality of wall segments separated by gaps therebetween. The wall segments can flexibly support the plate retention surfaces of the receiver to provide the flexibility necessary to couple and uncouple the coupling plate and the receiver together, which correspondingly couples and uncouples the doghouse fastener piece and the aperture fastener piece together.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

DRAWINGS

The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one example two-piece fastener assembly in accordance with the present disclosure, with the pieces uncoupled from each other.

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 1, with the pieces uncoupled from each other.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 1, with the pieces uncoupled from each other.

FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 1, with the pieces coupled to each other.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 1, with the pieces coupled to each other.

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6 with a portion of the panel and support.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 6 with a portion of the panel and support.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a second example two-piece fastener assembly in accordance with the present disclosure, with the pieces uncoupled from each other.

FIG. 10 is another perspective view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 9, with the pieces uncoupled from each other.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 9, with the pieces coupled to each other.

FIG. 12 is another perspective view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 9, with the pieces coupled to each other.

FIG. 13 is a bottom plan view of the example doghouse fastener piece of FIG. 9.

FIG. 14 is a side elevation view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 9.

FIG. 15 is a bottom plan view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 9.

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 16-16 of FIG. 15 with a portion of the panel and support.

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 17-17 of FIG. 15 with a portion of the panel and support.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a third example two-piece fastener assembly in accordance with the present disclosure, with the pieces uncoupled from each other.

FIG. 19 is another perspective view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 18, with the pieces uncoupled from each other.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 18, with the pieces coupled to each other.

FIG. 21 is another perspective view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 18, with the pieces coupled to each other.

FIG. 22 is a side elevation view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 18.

FIG. 23 is a bottom plan view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 18.

FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 24-24 of FIG. 23 with a portion of the panel and support.

FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 25-25 of FIG. 23 with a portion of the panel and support.

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a fourth example two-piece fastener assembly in accordance with the present disclosure, with the pieces uncoupled from each other.

FIG. 27 is another perspective view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 26, with the pieces uncoupled from each other.

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 26, with the pieces coupled to each other.

FIG. 29 is another perspective view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 26, with the pieces coupled to each other.

FIG. 30 is a side elevation view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 26.

FIG. 31 is a bottom plan view of the example two-piece fastener assembly of FIG. 26.

FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 32-32 of FIG. 31 with a portion of the panel and support.

FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 33-33 of FIG. 31 with a portion of the panel and support.

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

With reference to FIGS. 1-8, one example of a two-piece fastener assembly 10 for joining a panel 12 having a doghouse 14 to a support 16 having an aperture 18 therein is described below. The two-piece fastener assembly 10 includes a doghouse fastener piece 20 and an aperture fastener piece 22. The doghouse fastener piece 20 can include a doghouse head 24 designed to couple the doghouse fastener piece 20 to the doghouse 14 and a doghouse shaft 26 axially extending from the doghouse head 24. As used herein, the “pieces” are separate, independent components. Thus, each piece, or separate independent component, carries or supports the features or elements of that piece.

The doghouse fastener piece 20 can also include a receiver 28 including an annular wall 30 extending from a base 32. The base 32 of the receiver 28 can have an overall disk or plate shape and can extend from, and be axially supported by, the doghouse shaft 26. The receiver 28 can have a plurality of plate retention arms 34 positioned or extending inwardly from the annular wall 30. Each plate retention arm 34 can provide a plate retention surface 36 facing toward the base 32.

The aperture fastener piece 22 can have an intermediate head 38 and an aperture shaft 40 extending from an aperture side of the intermediate head 38. As examples, the intermediate head 38 can have a disk or plate, or can have an umbrella shape. A plurality of aperture retention arms 42 can extend outwardly away from the aperture shaft 40 and can be designed to retain the support 16 between the retention arms 42 and the intermediate head 38.

The aperture fastener piece 22 can also include a coupling plate 44 that is engaged and retained by the plurality of plate retention arms 34 to couple the doghouse fastener piece 20 and the aperture fastener piece 22 together. The coupling plate 44 can be supported by a plate shaft 46 extending from an opposite, or doghouse side of the intermediate head 38.

Alternatively, the coupling plate 44 can be part of the doghouse fastener piece 20 and the receiver 28 can be part of the aperture fastener piece 22. For example, the coupling plate 44 can be supported by the doghouse shaft 26, and an intermediate head 38 of the aperture fastener piece 22 can form the base 32 of the receiver 28.

As in this example coupling assembly 10 embodiment, the receiver 28 can include three plate retention arms 34 that can be equally spaced around the diameter of the annular wall 30 of the receiver 28. In some cases, the receiver 28 can include two, four, or more of the plate retention arms 34. As in this example coupling assembly 10 embodiment, the plate retention arms 34 can be protrusions that are wider than they are long. As noted above, each plate retention arm 34 can include a plate retention surface 36 facing toward the base 32.

The plate retention arms 34 capture and retain the coupling plate 44, with the plate retention surfaces 36 engaged against a cooperating plate retention surface 48 of the coupling plate 44. In some cases, each of the plate retention surfaces 36 and the cooperating plate retention surface 48 can be oriented or extend at an angle with respect to a plane transverse to the central axis of the fastener 10 that is from any of 0 degrees, 3 degrees, and 5 degrees, to any of 20 degrees, 30 degrees, 40, degrees, 50 degrees and 60 degrees. In most cases, the angle of the plate retention surfaces 36 is different than the angle of the cooperating plate retention surface 48 to facilitate uncoupling of the doghouse fastener piece 20 from the aperture fastener piece 22.

Various additional features or elements can be provided to help tune the coupling and uncoupling forces between the two pieces 20, 22. For example, the annular wall 30 can be formed of a plurality of annular segments that are separated from each other by separations or gaps 50. As in this example coupling assembly 10 embodiment, these separations or gaps 50 can have a pie shape that separates the annular wall 30 into segments. These separations or gaps 50 can additionally extend partially into the base 32.

As another example, a window 52 can extend through the disk or plate shaped base 32 of the receiver 28 adjacent each plate retention arm 34. The size of these windows 52 can be adjusted in order to help tune the coupling and uncoupling forces. For example, larger windows 52 can increase the flexibility of the annular wall 30 carrying the plate retention arms 34, while smaller sized windows 52 tend to reduce the flexibility of the plate retention arms.

As in this example coupling assembly 10 embodiment, the coupling plate 44 can be the relatively rigid coupling component, while the receiver 28 can be the relatively flexible coupling component. In other words, the receiver 28 can provide virtually all of the flexibility necessary to couple and uncouple the doghouse and aperture fastener pieces 20 and 22, respectively.

When using stress concentrating tuning features like the separations or gaps 50 forming the segmented annular wall 30 and the windows 52, it can be desirable to minimize the extent to which plastic deformation of the relatively flexible coupling component occurs during coupling and uncoupling. In some cases, to provide a coupling that can be repeatedly uncoupled and recoupled together, a subsequent uncoupling force can be 80 percent, 90 percent, 95 percent or more of the initial or prior uncoupling force.

As in this example coupling assembly 10 embodiment, the coupling plate 44 can have an annular shape and the coupling plate 44 can be supported by a plate shaft 46 that similarly has an annular shape. The receiver 28 can include a central boss 54 that mates with a central recess 56 of the annular coupling plate 44 and annular plate shaft 46. This mating can be designed to center the coupling plate 44 within the receiver 28 and keep it centered. As a result, the interaction of the coupling plate 44 with the plate retention arms and resulting coupling and uncoupling forces between the pieces 20, 22 can be kept more consistent.

In addition to the coupling plate 44, the base 32, coupling plate 44, and intermediate head 38 can each be plate shaped, which helps minimize or reduce the clearance necessary between the doghouse 14 and the support 16. In addition, the doghouse head 24 can also be plate shaped to further help minimize or reduce the clearance necessary between the panel 12 (from which the doghouse 14 extends) and the support 16. Similarly, the axial length of the doghouse shaft 26 and of the plate shaft 46 can be kept to only the axial length necessary to accommodate the overall assembly. This also helps minimize or reduce the clearance necessary between the doghouse 14 and the support 16.

With reference to FIGS. 9-17, another example of a two-piece fastener assembly 10 for joining a panel 12 having a doghouse 14 to a support 16 having an aperture 18 therein is provided. The same reference numbers are used herein to identify and describe corresponding elements or features in each of the various example embodiments of this disclosure, even if the corresponding elements or features are not identical. In addition, the descriptions of various corresponding elements or features previously provided may not be duplicated herein, despite its applicability to other example embodiments, to reduce or avoid unnecessary repetition thereof.

As in this example coupling assembly 10 embodiment, the doghouse fastener piece 20 can include the receiver 28 and the aperture fastener piece 22 can include the coupling plate 44. In addition, the coupling plate 44 can be the relatively rigid coupling component while the receiver 28 can be the relatively flexible coupling component. This coupling flexibility of the receiver 28 can be provided, at least partially, by the fact that the plate retention surfaces 36 are supported by plate retention arms 34 that are flexible. In other words, the plate retention arms 34 flex or move independent of the supporting annular wall 30 of the receiver 28.

One reason for this relative flexibility of plate retention arms 34 can be the fact that the plate retention arms 34 have an overall length extending away from the annular wall 30 that is greater than the overall cross-sectional width normal to the length direction. Various other features or elements can be provided or adjusted to help tune the flexibility of the plate retention arms 34 and the coupling and uncoupling forces between the two pieces 20, 22. For example, a window 52 can extend through the annular wall 30 of the receiver 28 adjacent each of the flexible plate retention arms 34. Similar to the windows 52 discussed above, the size of these arm adjacent windows 52 can be adjusted in order to help tune the coupling and uncoupling forces.

As another example, each flexible plate retention arm 34 can include a transversely inwardly extending proximal portion 58 and an angled distal portion 60, with the proximal portion 58 coupling the flexible plate retention arm 34 to the annular wall 30 of the receiver 28 and the distal portion 60 of the flexible plate retention arm 34 extending at an angle from and relative to the base or proximal portion 58. The proximal portion 58 can act like a diving board, the size of which can be adjusted in order to help tune the coupling and uncoupling forces. For example, proximal portions 58 with smaller cross-sections and larger lengths can increase the flexibility of the plate retention arms 34 and vice versa. Similarly, the size and angle of the distal portion can be adjusted to adjust the flexibility of the retention arms and to help tune the coupling and uncoupling forces.

A plurality of axially extending grooves 62 can be provided in the annular wall 30 of the receiver 28 to provide additional flexibility to the annular wall 30, and to help tune the coupling and uncoupling forces between the pieces 20, 22. For example, such an axially extending groove 62 in the annular wall 30 can be provided on both or opposite sides of each plate retention arm 30. Each groove 62 provides a thin wall portion, with respect to the adjacent portions of the annular wall 30. Features such as the grooves 62, the windows 52, and the adjacent diving board proximal portion 58 are among the stress concentrating tuning features of this example coupling assembly 10.

As in this example coupling assembly 10 embodiment, a plurality of plate centering ribs 64 can extend radially interiorly from the annular wall 30, which ribs 64 are designed to center the coupling plate 44 within the receiver 28 and keep it centered. As a result, the interaction of the coupling plate 44 with the plate retention arms 34 and resulting coupling and uncoupling forces can be kept more consistent. Additionally or alternatively, the receiver 28 can include a central boss 54 that mates with a central recess 56 of the annular coupling plate 44 and annular plate shaft 46 that is designed to center the coupling plate 44 within the receiver 28 and keep it centered as discussed above.

With reference to FIGS. 18-25, another example of a two-piece fastener assembly 10 for joining a panel 12 having a doghouse 14 to a support 16 having an aperture 18 therein is provided. Consistent with the prior example embodiments 10, the doghouse fastener piece 20 includes the receiver 28, and the aperture fastener piece 22 includes the coupling plate 44. In contrast to the previous example embodiments 10, however, the receiver 28 can be the relatively rigid coupling component while the coupling plate 44 can be the relatively flexible coupling component. In other words, the coupling plate 44 can provide virtually all of the flexibility necessary to couple and uncouple the doghouse and aperture fastener pieces 20 and 22, respectively.

As in this example coupling assembly 10 embodiment, the coupling plate 44 can be formed of a plurality of plate segments, and each plate segment can be supported by a corresponding segment of an annular plate shaft 46. The coupling plate 44 and plate shaft 46 can be separated into segments by gaps 50 so that the coupling plate 44 of the aperture fastener piece 22 can flex inwardly during coupling with the non-flexible plate retention protrusions or arms 34 of the receiver 28 of the doghouse fastener piece 20. As in the illustrated embodiment, the coupling plate 44 and the plate shaft 46 can be separated into two segments. Alternatively, the coupling plate 44 and plate shaft 46 can be separated into three, four, five, or more segments.

As previously noted with respect to the prior embodiments, the coupling plate 44 can alternatively be part of the doghouse fastener piece 20 and the receiver 28 can be part of the aperture fastener piece 22. For example, the coupling plate 44 segments can be supported by annular shaft segments corresponding to the doghouse shaft 26, and the opposite side of the intermediate head 38 of the aperture fastener piece 22 can form the base 32 of the receiver 28.

With reference to FIGS. 26-33, another example of a two-piece fastener assembly 10 for joining a panel 12 having a doghouse 14 to a support 16 having an aperture 18 therein is provided. As previously suggested, in this embodiment the coupling plate 44 can be part of the doghouse fastener piece 20 and the receiver 28 can be part of the aperture fastener piece 22. For example, the coupling plate 44 can be supported by a plate shaft corresponding to the doghouse shaft 26. The receiver 28 can be formed using the opposite side of the intermediate head 38 of the aperture fastener piece 22 as the base 32 of the receiver 28.

The coupling plate can be the relatively rigid component and the receiver 28 can be the relatively flexible coupling component that can provide essentially all of the flexibility necessary to couple and uncouple the two pieces 20, 22. The flexibility of the receiver 28 can be provided by separating the annular wall 30 of the receiver 28 into annular segments separated by gaps 50. As in this embodiment, the plate retention arms 34 can likewise have an annular shape that can be separated in to annular segments by the gaps 50.

As illustrated in FIGS. 32 and 33, an intermediate annular flange 66 can be added to the doghouse fastener piece 20 in some cases. In some other cases, the axially distal edge of the receiver 28 can engage directly against the doghouse 14. In some cases, a gap or space can be provided between the distal edge of the receiver and the intermediate added flange 66, or the doghouse 14.

As should be apparent, modularity can be provided by preventing a set of doghouse fastener pieces 20 and aperture fastener pieces 22 that share a common receiver 28 and coupling plate 44 connection, but include various configurations and sizes for coupling with different doghouses 14 and apertures 18, respectively.

The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A two-piece fastener assembly designed to join a panel having a doghouse to a support having an aperture therein, the two-piece fastener assembly comprising: a doghouse fastener piece having a doghouse head designed to couple the doghouse fastener to the doghouse and a doghouse shaft extending from the doghouse head; an aperture fastener piece having an intermediate head and an aperture shaft extending from a side of the intermediate head, and a plurality of aperture retention arms extending outwardly away from the aperture shaft and designed to retain the support between the aperture retention arms and the intermediate head; a receiver including an annular wall extending from a base and a plurality of plate retention surfaces facing toward the base and being supported by and positioned inwardly of the annular wall; and a coupling plate engaged and retained by the plurality of plate retention surfaces within the receiver to couple the doghouse fastener piece and the aperture fastener piece together; wherein the receiver extends from a first of an opposite side of the intermediate head as part of the aperture fastener piece, and the doghouse shaft as part of the doghouse fastener piece; wherein the coupling plate extends from a second of the opposite side of the intermediate head as part of the aperture fastener piece, and the doghouse shaft as part of the doghouse fastener piece; and wherein one of the receiver and the coupling plate provides the flexibility necessary to couple and uncouple the coupling plate and the receiver together, which correspondingly couples and uncouples the doghouse fastener piece and the aperture fastener piece together.
 2. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 1, wherein the plate retention surface and a cooperating surface of the plate are each are oriented at a contact angle between 0 degrees and 60 degrees relative to a plane that is transverse to a central axis of the coupling assembly, and wherein the contact angle of the plate retention surface is different from the contact angle of the cooperating plate retention surfaces are different from each other.
 3. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of plate retention surfaces number three or more.
 4. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 1, wherein the coupling plate has an annular shape and the plate is supported by an annular plate shaft.
 5. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 4, wherein the receiver includes a central boss that mates with a central recess of the annular coupling plate and the annular plate shaft.
 6. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 1, wherein the annular wall of the receiver comprises a plurality of wall segments separated by gaps therebetween, and wherein the wall segments flexibly support the plate retention surfaces of the receiver to provide the flexibility necessary to couple and uncouple the coupling plate and the receiver together, which correspondingly couples and uncouples the doghouse fastener piece and the aperture fastener piece together.
 7. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 6, wherein the gaps are pie-shaped gaps.
 8. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 6, wherein the gaps define a radial angular length of both the plate retention surfaces and the annular wall segments.
 9. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 1, wherein a window extends through the base wall of the receiver adjacent to and in radial alignment with each plate retention surface.
 10. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 1, wherein the plate retention surfaces of the receiver are provided at a distal end of flexible retention arms to provide the flexibility necessary to couple and uncouple the coupling plate and the receiver together, which correspondingly couples and uncouples the doghouse fastener piece and the aperture fastener piece together.
 11. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 10, wherein each flexible plate retention arm includes a transversely inwardly extending base portion coupling the flexible plate retention arm to the annular wall of the receiver and a distal portion of the flexible plate retention arm extending at an angle to the base portion.
 12. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 1, wherein the receiver is part of the doghouse fastener piece, and the base is supported by the doghouse shaft, and wherein the coupling plate is part of the aperture fastener piece, and the coupling plate is supported by a plate shaft extending from an opposite side of the intermediate head of the aperture fastener piece.
 13. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 1, wherein a window extends through the annular wall of the receiver adjacent to and in radial alignment with each flexible plate retention arm.
 14. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 1, wherein a plurality of plate centering ribs extend interiorly from the annular wall to center the coupling plate within the receiver.
 15. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 1, wherein the coupling plate comprises a plurality of plate segments separated by gaps to enable the coupling plate to provide the flexibility necessary to couple and uncouple the coupling plate and the receiver together, which correspondingly couples and uncouples the doghouse fastener piece and the aperture fastener piece together.
 16. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 15, wherein the plate segments are each supported by plate shaft segments of an annular shaft.
 17. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 1, wherein the receiver is part of the aperture fastener piece and an opposite side of the intermediate head comprises the base of the receiver, and wherein the coupling plate is part of the doghouse fastener piece and the coupling plate is supported by the doghouse shaft.
 18. A two-piece fastener assembly designed to join a panel having a doghouse to a support having an aperture therein, the two-piece fastener assembly comprising: a doghouse fastener piece having a doghouse head designed to couple the doghouse fastener to the doghouse and a doghouse shaft extending from the doghouse head, and the doghouse fastener piece having a receiver including an annular wall axially extending from a base having a plate shape, the base of the receiver being supported by the doghouse shaft, and the receiver having a plurality of plate retention surfaces supported by and positioned inwardly of the annular wall and facing toward the base; an aperture fastener piece having an intermediate head and an aperture shaft extending from a side of the intermediate head, and a plurality of aperture retention arms extending outwardly away from the aperture shaft and designed to retain the support between the aperture retention arms and the intermediate head, and the aperture fastener piece having a plate shaft extending from an opposite side of the intermediate head and a coupling plate supported by the plate shaft, the coupling plate being engaged and retained by the plurality of plate retention surfaces within the receiver to couple the doghouse fastener piece and the aperture fastener piece together; wherein the annular wall of the receiver comprises a plurality of wall segments separated by gaps therebetween, and wherein the wall segments flexibly support the plate retention surfaces of the receiver to provide the flexibility necessary to couple and uncouple the coupling plate and the receiver together, which correspondingly couples and uncouples the doghouse fastener piece and the aperture fastener piece together.
 19. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 18, wherein the plate retention surface and a cooperating surface of the plate are each oriented at a contact angle between 0 degree and 60 degrees relative to a plane that is transverse to a central axis of the coupling assembly, and wherein the contact angle of the plate retention surface and the contact angle of the cooperating plate retention surfaces are different from each other.
 20. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 18, wherein each of the gaps, the segments, and the plurality of plate retention surfaces number three or more.
 21. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 18, wherein the coupling plate has an annular shape and the plate is supported by an annular plate shaft.
 22. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 21, wherein the receiver includes a central boss that mates with a central recess of the annular coupling plate and the annular plate shaft.
 23. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 21, wherein the gaps are pie-shaped gaps.
 24. The two-piece fastener assembly of claim 18, wherein a window extends through the base wall of the receiver adjacent to and in radial alignment with each plate retention surface. 